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DETROIT, MICHIGAN – Truck giant General Motors showed us their all-new Silverado last month at the North American International Auto Show. Taking this reveal into account, it was inevitable for the Chevy’s sister truck, the 2019 GMC Sierra to make its debut almost immediately after. General Motors Canada invited us to the intriguing Russell Industrial Complex in Detroit, MI to take our first look at what they assume is going to be a game changer for the North American truck market.
First and foremost, on the powertrain front, there are minor changes to the two major engines. The 5.3L and 6.2L gasoline V8s soldier on, now offering engine start/stop technology along with Dynamic Fuel Management. The latter is a new variation on cylinder deactivation that actually allows the motor to run on any amount of cylinders between one and eight, maximizing efficiency. Joining this lineup is a 3.0L inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel, right on time to compete with the upcoming Ford F-150 (reviewed here) and its diesel variant. The GM/Ford joint venture 10-speed automatic transmission is also in play here.
An industry first for the new Sierra is the MultiPro Tailgate, showing off six unique tricks within itself. This tailgate not only offers loading and load stop solutions, but a multi-stage opening as well as easier access to anything within the box. Like the Ford F-150 has been doing for a while, there is a built-in step entry, but it’s easier to use than the Ford’s from our initial look, and the tailgate can hold up to 375 pounds of weight. Worth mentioning is that this tailgate is not restricted to the top-trim Denali, but can also be had on SLT trims of the Sierra
The vast majority of the 2019 Sierra’s party tricks have to do with actual utility, and that’s where the optional CarbonPro box comes into action. This is yet another industry debut; a truck cargo box made of carbon fiber. This replaces the steel inner bed and floor with a composite of carbon fiber that adds a ton of durability along with dent protection. The carbon fiber composite also means it’s resistive to corrosion down the road, which has been a weakness for many North American trucks in the salt belt so far. This box is 62lb. lighter than the standard steel box.
Combining all of these new technologies with a classy and upscale interior, the 2019 GMC Sierra makes for one of the most luxurious trucks currently on the market – especially when in its top-grade Denali trim. The GM twins have been topping our overall favourites list as far as full-size trucks are concerned for quite some time now, but its two major competitors, Ford and Ram have now upped their respective game in the past year. Now that the General is back in action, we’re excited to spend some more time with this new segment later this year and see where the Silverado and Sierra stack up.
2018 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Platinum
*Photos courtesy of General Motors*


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Seedstars World is coming back to Casablanca bigger and better than ever before!
On January 30th, StartupYourLife, one of the leading ecosystem players in Morocco, is hosting the first edition of Seedstars Africa to build bridges between African ecosystems and connect them to the world!
The flagship event is bringing together more than 300 startup founders, investors, ecosystem players, leading corporations and successful entrepreneurs from Africa, Middle East, Europe and the US.
The objective is to showcase the potential of Entrepreneurship in Africa, share insights and gain key learnings, foster collaboration and investment opportunities and enable valuable connections across the continent and around the world.
We are inviting all the winning startups from the 15 Seedstars competitions in Africa and selecting the most promising ones from Morocco to participate in the Bootcamp. Selected entrepreneur from Morocco will also compete for the local competition to join Seedstars World Finalists in Geneva for 2016.
You can look forward to an event filled with disruptive tech, inspirational keynotes, networking sessions, and one flight ticket for the winner to come to Switzerland to compete fot up to $1.5M in investment.
- Discover some of the most promising startups from Africa
- Get a deeper understanding of the startup dynamic, new innovation trends and opportunities in Africa
- Meet world-class mentors, investors, leading ecosystem players and African business leaders
- Build relationships with other serial entrepreneurs, mentors and investors from Africa and around the World

domain: news


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Independent consultants have in a study commissioned by Botswana Institute for Development Analysis (BIDPA) come up with startling recommendations, in the event of depletion of diamond resources in Botswana.
Consultants, Rob Davies and Dirk van Seventer posit that indeed “Diamonds will one day run out not necessarily physically but will be more costly to mine not sure when, but around late 2020s.”
The study titled Life after Diamonds: The Economy Wide Consequences of Declining Diamond Production in Botswana, is a composite of a wide ranging economic report commissioned by BIDPA for private sector body, Botswana Confederation of Commerce Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM).
They give three possible scenarios showing how the effects of depletion of diamonds will manifest and how they can be mitigated.
“We assume that the decline takes place between 2025 and 2027, although lessons we draw do not depend on this precise timing; here we report that the most significant and permanent decline assuming that by 2027, GDP in diamond mining declines by 75 percent below its 2024 level and remains constant; This decline leads to total GDP of 25 percent in 2028, below what would otherwise have been. Even after diamond production stabilises, the economy declines and ten years after the presumed reduction in diamond production started, GDP is 48 percent below what it would have been.”
The report states that the decline is largely driven by the impact it has on savings and by extension, investment. Non-diamond sectors initially expand slightly when diamonds decline, because of exchange rate effects; they quickly start to slow down and even contract as investment falls back because of lack of resources.
“These effects can be ameliorated by policy responses in the short to medium term,” the report states.
There are two broad policy questions to consider: Possible policy actions before depletion – mitigation or appropriate policy response after depletion – adaptation.
The consultants suggest a ‘Diamond OPEC’ that requires cooperation among major producers to reduce production by 25 percent – this will raise global revenue by at least 16 percent.
“One mitigation strategy is to get more out of diamonds before they run out; Report estimates elasticity of demand for diamonds (-0.45), suggests scope for raising revenue by reducing output; this not only raises revenue but also defers date of depletion.”
Meanwhile the drafting of Botswana’s National Development Plan 11 (NDP) will be informed by fully fledged economic study commissioned by BIDPA. This study was initiated in the wake of the global economic crisis, in 2009.
BIDPA commissioned some studies for the private sector collective body BOCCIM to assuage the ill-feeling that emanated from subdued economic activity that was sweeping across the globe.
Captains of industry from various public and private institutions, including BOCCIM, Botswana Innovation Hub, eConsult, Statistics Botswana, among others were treated to the revealing finding of the study which was Funded through a US$400,000 (P3,9 million) grant from the African Development Bank.
The central purpose of the study was to give a picture of what would happen in the event of the sudden depletion of mineral resources in Botswana, particularly diamonds.
The study entailed three components: Projections on mineral production, exports and revenue which was conducted by Dr Fichani and Mr. Freeman from the University of Botswana; CGE Modelling of the implications of changes in diamond revenue conducted by Dr. R Davies and Policy Response to the Decline in Revenue by BIDPA’s Professor Roman Grynberg.
Maria Machailo-Ellis told a conference held at Lansmore Hotel last week that the study went on to become a fully fledged policy advisory document that will help to inform major decisions about the economy of the country; “It is just in time for NDP 11,” said Machailo-Ellis, who added that “this study will help us to engage Government from a more informed position.”
Among many findings, the study found that: The private sector is moving to invest in extraction of base and energy metals, including Coal Bed Methane (CBM) but Industrial Policy appears disconnected from the range of developments occurring in the mining sector; economy reformation required a highly paid, highly motivated professional workforce; Botswana’s tax incentives are no longer competitive in relation to the region, requiring transformation;
The study recommends that Botswana reform its tax regime and create tax free Export Processing Zones; to build a new low cost railroad to the coast to monetize the coal and base metal sectors; conduct a selective low interest rate policy for projects of national importance; eliminate barriers increased.
The executive summary of the reports concludes that: “Botswana has a combination of vast potential energy resources and that are emerging as a substantial deposits of base metals. It needs to develop synergies between these resources in line with the sort of policies used in Malaysia, South Africa and other countries to provide strong incentives for firms to locate,” adding that “Botswana no matter how well it manages industrial policy, will always be disadvantaged by virtue of being landlocked but it can compensate investors for that disadvantage by providing electricity, the source of which it has in abundance, by pricing at marginal cost to strategic industries in its Export Processing Zones.”
In the coming months prices will go up and inflation will shoot sharply above the target of 3 percent to 6 percent towards the third quarter of 2021, the Bank of Botswana on the other hand will continue to withhold its knife on the Bank Rate. This is according to a forecast made by Kgori Capital in its recent Market Watch Segment.
Statistics from Statistics Botswana show that the recent 1.8 percent increase in the September inflation, from 1 percent in August, was a reflection of the upward adjustment in public transport fares (Transport (from -6.9 to -3.9 percent) in September 2020, which is estimated to have increased inflation by approximately 0.64 percentage points.
Local anti-trust body, Competition and Consumer Authority (CCA), this month received back to back acquisition proposals from South African clothing retailers to wipe out their former rivals, Edcon, from Botswana malls.
Last week BusinessPost was in possession of Merger Notice No 23 of 2020 whereby a South African clothing retailer owner, Retailability Proprietary Limited, through Oclin Proprietary Limited, proposed to acquire parts of the Edgars business conducted by Edcon in Botswana (through Edcon Botswana), as a going concern, consisting of certain assets and identified liabilities.
South African government’s Business Rescue Practitioners earlier this year announced that Retailability will buy Edgars, after the latter filed for a business rescue plan in April after it failed to pay suppliers. This move will see Retailability add Edgars to its portfolio consisting of brands such as; Legit, Beaver Canoe and Style.
Retailability landed on Botswana shores 18 years ago with its flamboyant urban fashion Style which had 17 stores. Style, having almost the same target market as Edgars as it offers men’s and ladies’ contemporary and formal fashion, gave the 91 year old legendary clothing retailer a run for its money, and has won the battle as its parent company has taken over Edgars.
Retailability brands are synonymous with Botswana shopping centres and there are currently five (5) Beaver Canoe stores, 10 Style stores and seven (7) Legit stores across this country. The Beaver Canoe stores sell clothing apparel for men and boys only. The Legit stores have a fashion store format which focuses on the retailing of clothing, footwear, accessories, colour cosmetics and cellular products.
Retailability operates in over 460 stores across South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, and Eswatini. Many observers suggest that because of the deal with Retailability to swallow Edcon, most Edgars stores in Botswana will change their name and be branded Style. A sad tale for religious consumers of the Edgars trademark who got used to love their favourite brand for years.
According to CCA’s Merger Notice No 23 of 2020, Retailability is controlled by Clifford Raymond Lines (through a company which functions solely as a holding company of his interests in Retailability) and Metier Investment and Advisory Services Proprietary Limited (“Metier”). Metier is a private equity enterprise with investments in a number of industries spanning from healthcare, hospitality, FMCGs and telecommunications.
Retailability directors are mostly South Africans; Clifford Raymond Lines, Mark Richard Friday and Norman Victor Drieselmann. Only Nasreen Essack, who was appointed February this year, is a Motswana. He comes after Brian Thuto Tsima left on the same date. Retailability 100 percent owns Oclin Proprietary Limited, the company it is acquiring Edgars with, by a capacity of 3000 shares.
The target business, Edgars, offer textiles, cosmetics and cellular products. Edcon has a Motswana director, Charles Mzwandile Vikisi, a South African, Shane Van Niekerk and Zimbabwean Jethro Kamutsi.
“The Target Business comprises of two (2) Edgars franchise brands and private label stores across Botswana. These stores target middle to upper income customers and are home to a range of private label brands such as Free2BU, Charter Club and Stone Harbour, and a wide range of market label brands (such as Levi’s and Guess) for clothing, footwear and cosmetics.
In addition, the Target Business operates iconic Edgars Home and Edgars Beauty stores as store-in-store formats rounding out the department store offering in Botswana,” said CCA. Foshini also lines up to take Jet Botswana from Edcon.
The Foschini Group (TFG) released a statement confirming its latest intentions to acquire Edcon assets or Jet for a cash purchase consideration of R480 million. This was after the business rescue practitioners offered TFG to buy Jet by that amount.
CCA is currently mulling on a proposed merger by TFG to take over Jet operations in Botswana. Merger Notice No 21 of 2020 from TFG came a few days before the Retailability proposal. In this merger TFG, acting through Foschini Botswana, want to take over “parts” of the Jet business conducted by Edcon through Jet Supermarkets Botswana.
TFG will be willing to add Jet to its portfolio of 30 retail brands that trade in clothing, footwear, jewellery, sportswear, homeware, cell phones, and technology products from value to upper market segments throughout more than 4085 outlets in 32 countries on five continents. TFG will also get Jet’s distribution centre located in Durban and certain stores in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Eswatini. Also part of this fat deal is that the company is looking to also acquire JET Club and all existing JET stock of no less than R800 million.
Johannesburg listed TGF owns Foschini Retail Group which owns the local operations called Foschini Botswana, the acquiring enterprise according to CCA merger notice. “TFG is not controlled by any enterprise/s and for completeness, the three largest shareholders of TFG holding shares greater than 5% as at 27th March 2020 are: Government Employees Pension Fund (16.2%) Public Investment Corporation (13.2%); Old Mutual Limited (6.7%); and Investec Asset Management (6.3%). The remaining issued share capital in TFG is widely held,” said the merger notice.
Only Abdool Rahim Khan is a Motswana in the Foschini Botswana directorship, the rest; Ganeswari Shani Naidoo, Anthony Edward Thunström and Gustav Jansen (alternate director) are South Africans.
According to the CCA merger, the Jet Business is Edcon’s discount department store division, selling clothing, footwear, homeware and some cosmetics as well as cellular products and targets lower-to-middle income consumers throughout Botswana. The Jet Business does not directly or indirectly control any enterprises, says the notice. CCA seeks any stakeholder views for or against the proposed merger, which may be sent within 10 days from date of this publication to the following address.
Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority BOCRA signed a memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Ministries of Transport and Communications (MTC), Basic Education (MoBE) as well as Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD).
The MoA seeks to continue the collaboration that dates back to 2016 when the three parties first agreed to work together in a project aimed at computerizing and providing broadband Internet to primary schools in remote and underserved areas of Botswana.
The project benefitted 68 primary schools and 9 secondary schools through the construction of Local Area Network (LAN) in each primary school, provision of 5 Mbps dedicated broadband Internet to each Primary School and provision of Wi-Fi enabled tablets, laptops and related peripherals such as printers and copiers.
Further, the project will see the augmentation of computers in 9 Junior Secondary Schools with 30 laptops per identified school and employment of Information Technology (IT) officers at each primary school.
When speaking at the signing ceremony in Gaborone, Chief Executive of BOCRA and Chairperson of Universal Access and Service Fund (UASF) Board of Trustees Martin Mokgware said the project’s ultimate goal is to facilitate pupils in schools and host villages to be able to play a meaningful role in the digital economy.
Mokgware indicated that this necessitates upgrading of existing Telecommunications infrastructure to high capacity broadband that will support delivery of education, accessibility to the quality Internet and usage of ICTs.
The Fund began its inaugural programme by sponsoring the provision of WiFi hotspots in public areas around the country as its first project. Following the successful implementation of public WiFi hotspots, the Fund identified Kgalagadi, Ghanzi and Mabutsane areas for mobile network upgrades, schools computerization and internet provision.
Conscious that the project would not be possible without buy-in and support from MoBE, MTC and MLGRD, the Fund facilitated the signing of the first MoU between the three parties in 2016 for implementation of the project.
BOCRA Chief Executive said the signing of this agreement is aimed at benefitting the Kweneng District, adding that they have already assessed the area and have determined that they will be covering 62 underserved villages and 119 schools, 91 of which are primary schools.
“This is a project for which the partner Ministries need to re-commit for its success. Lessons from the previous schools’ computerization and internet connectivity project require that we increase our involvement and resources dedicated to the project for it to be successful. It is my belief as the project coordinator, that we will not do things the way we did them during the first project, for if we do, then we will not have learnt anything,” he said at the signing ceremony.
The purpose of learning is so that there can be continuous improvement to minimize the length of time and amount of resources utilized, he said expressing confidence that their partners will step up to the plate and ensure they play their part in the implementation of the project and that it will progress smoothly having already tread along a similar path.
UASF’s role lies mainly in funding and project management. According to Mokgware, once the project is completed, the work to integrate ICTs into the classroom begins in earnest. Therefore, he said, the project will not succeed without full cooperation and oversight of partners.
“MoBE will put in place the necessary content and ensure that the curriculum is available to all. MLGRD will provide, among others, the enabling environment by ensuring readiness of the school’s infrastructure and necessary security.”


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Iowan creates music-inspired perfumes
An Ames woman took a make-your-own perfume kit, a birthday present from her husband, and turned it into a business.
Amanda Freeley said she uses music to inspire her own natural perfumes. She now had 13 different perfumes.
Freeley works at her dining room table mixing the fragrances using drop by drop of oils.
"It's a matter of study and experimenting," said Freeley.
Feeley's not just creating a perfume, she's composing music for the nose.
"Composing perfume is so much like that because you have notes and you have chords and you have composition, and you want it to be well-balanced," said Freeley.
A classically trained vocalist, Feeley felt an instant connection to the art of perfumery after finding a chart from an 18th century English perfumer that identified scents as musical notes.
"They talk about a light bulb moment, well that was my light bulb moment," said Freeley.
With her musical background, it only seems fitting that Feeley's scents were selected as a gift for the artists at this year's Country Music Awards.
She had to submit samples of her work to first be reviewed before being selected.
"I felt that was a really big feather in my cap, you know, this quality work that I'm doing and they saw the value in that," said Freeley.
The value, Feeley believes, comes from using all natural products. She has shelves of oils that she blends together to hit all the right notes for her customers.
"It's not just that you're putting on something that smells good. You're putting on something that makes you feel good," said Freeley.
Unlike many commercially made perfumes, Feeley said it's a feeling intended just for the person wearing it.
"Nice thing about natural perfumes is they're not something that, nobody's going to smell you as soon as you walk in the door and they're not going to smell you for 20 minutes later," said Freeley.
Feeley said that's a good thing.
You don't have to be a country music star to try one of Feeley's perfumes. You can buy them at the Artisan Peace Store on Main Street in Ames or online at http://esscentualalchemy.mysupadupa.com/


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Frictional Games Mulls Over Taming Down Horror Elements in Future Games
22 Jul, 2023
In a development that may scare hardcore fans, Frictional Games, the acclaimed developer of the popular Amnesia horror series, has recently indicated its plans to step back slightly from its traditional horrific narrative devices. In a conversation with Eurogamer, founder Thomas Grip shared insights regarding this drastic reorientation, shedding light on the potential reasons that led to such a dramatic shift.
Frictional Games, renowned for its nerve-wracking, terror-inducing titles, plans to steer its narratives from the mainstream horror genre. The shift, which may surprise most fans, is rooted in an aspiration to explore other aspects of game narrative design. Asserting that their strength lies in creating immersive universes with a focus on exploration and discovery and portraying dread and horror in interesting and unique ways, the developer plans to integrate these principles into a less intense genre.
Grip also stated that the team is interested in exploring the synergy between the player character and world design. They aim to reduce the amount of horror whilst increasing the focus on other elements, particularly those of narrative spaces and environmental storytelling. This, ideally, will allow game players to establish a stronger connection with the virtual environment, deepening the game's overall impact.
Interestingly, the developer hinted about retaining the DNA of horror, albeit in reduced doses. Frictional Games' passion and expertise for creating an environment of suspense and surprise will remain intact. The dynamic tension that forms so much of their games' allure will underpin future offerings, albeit in a less concentrated form.
Notwithstanding the feelings of avid horror gamers, the shift in direction signifies an attempt to diversify their creative output. Fans may still expect games with a strong atmospheric focus and narrative impact from the developer, which has created gems like Amnesia and Soma. As Grip rightly states, it's not about renouncing horror entirely but rather reimagining horror in a way that unfolds non-horrific landscapes. As Frictional Games venture into this brave, new direction, only time can tell how this deviation from its erstwhile genre affects its popularity and fan base.


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Former Great British Bake Off judge Mary Berry brought in by baker Finsbury Food Group to release range of cakes
Mary Berry has been brought in by baker Finsbury Food Group to release a range of cakes.
The 81-year-old former Great British Bake Off judge is launching nine cakes designed in collaboration with the baking giant, which supplies grocers across the UK. They will cost from about £3 to £6, and will include round cakes, loaf cakes and celebration treats.
Baked to perfection: Mary Berry is releasing a range of cakes for Finsbury Food Group
John Duffy, chief executive, said: ‘Mary Berry is an icon in baking. A lot of people watch the programme and are interested in baking but may not have the time or skills. This is about bringing everyday treats to life.’
Duffy will hope the cakes, due to be on shelves by the summer, will boost sales – which remained flat last year at £156.6m in the six months to December 31.
Profit rose 5.3 per cent to £7.9m. Duffy, 52, who said the group was consolidating after rapid expansion, has been outspoken in warning over price rises due to the fall in the value of the pound since the Brexit vote.
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"Apple employs technologies invented by Qualcomm without paying for them", says Qualcomm spokeswoman Christine Trimble.
Senator Bernie Sanders Discusses Health Care, Puerto Rico And Other Issues
Schneiderman says the decision is unacceptable, "cruel" and illegal. Schneiderman said he expected other states to join in the suits. The gist of the complaint to be filed in the U.S.
Apple, of course, says the claims by Qualcomm have no merit. However, China has been Apple's fastest-growing market until pretty recently, and it's where iPhones are manufactured. The Cupertino company has historically used Qualcomm's modems in its phones, though it's recently switched to Intel chips for that goal. "In our many years of ongoing negotiations with Qualcomm, these patents have never been discussed and in fact were only granted in the last few months", an Apple spokesperson said.
If Qualcomm were to succeed, Apple's ability to quickly assemble iPhones would be gutted, while sales of iPhone devices would take a heavy hit.
Stock's Stunning Activities: Lattice Semiconductor Corporation (LSCC)
Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE:ETE) ended its day with of -0.22% and registered the last transition at the value of $18.20. Following the purchase, the director now owns 20,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $258,400.
The gloves are coming off I'm the legit brawl between two major players in the smartphone industry: Qualcomm and Apple. In July, it filed a similar claim in the United States, pointing to six patents that it said Apple was in violation of.
The legal battle started earlier this year when Apple filed an antitrust suit against Qualcomm arguing that the chipmaker's licensing practices are unfair, and that it abused its position as the biggest supplier of chips in phones. Apple proceeded to file suits making similar claims around the globe, and Qualcomm fired back in various places contending patent infringement.
Discovery Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:DISCB) Trading Up - Short Interest Up 13.38%
Also, CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels acquired 20,000 shares of Discovery Communications stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 1st. Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V. lifted its position in shares of Discovery Communications by 482.6% in the 2nd quarter.
Between the $2 billion in licensing fees Apple is refusing to pay and the $773 million fine from Taiwan's Fair Trade Commission, Qualcomm is now looking at an empty dinner plate.


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Microsoft and Sony announced plans today to cross-license software,including the Windows CE operating system, as part of an effort to "create a convergence," between PCs and home electronics. The deal also calls for Microsoft (MSFT) to license Sony's Home Networking Module, a middleware product that supports home networking standards, in versions of Windows CE.
The two companies also agreed to support and endorse various digital TV formats that will work in PCs and in televisions, and support the fastest standard for production, transmission and reception of digital signals.
Also, both companies agreed to support the use of 1080-interlaced pixel resolution as the preferred format for high definition television. Sony (SNE) also agreed to support the Advanced Television Systems Committee's transmission formats, including progressive scan, or non-interlaced, formats.
In a statement, Sony President Nobuyuki Idei said that Sony supports an open architecture that will "enable the seamless integration of PC and AV products."
The companies will hold a press conference later today to discuss the details of their agreement. Microsoft has made it known that it intends to be as influential in the consumer electronics world as it is in the PC world. The company has touted the Windows CE operating system as the perfect solution for home electronics products and automobiles.
Last week, Microsoft and eight other companies unveiled a proposal for a multimedia format for the digital TV market, the Advanced Authoring Format, that would allow producers to create content once as a collection of tightly integrated files.


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Friday, Nov. 9, 2012 12 p.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Online, Online, Online, Online
For more information: Maine Public Relations Council; meprcouncil.org
Who: The Maine Public Relations Council (MPRC)
What: FREE Webinar – 28 Creative Steps to Socializing the Online Newsroom
When: Friday, November 9th, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Where: Online, Pre-registration is required to obtain log in information
Register: Register online or email firstname.lastname@example.org
More than 75% of people get their news through social media channels and visit the corporate web site or online newsroom to find out more information. Approximately 90% of people on social media channels use Twitter or Facebook as a primary source of news and information. Companies are extending their online newsrooms to reach a new audience of bloggers, consumers, customers, employees, investors, analysts, suppliers, and partners.
This Webinar shows participants 28 Steps to maximize the value of their online newsroom in today’s socialized world.
Steve Momorella, Owner and Founder, TEKGROUP International


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McDonald's is networking its kitchen equipment to save energy, use powerlines more effectively and save some dough. Using gear from a company called Echelon McDonald's plans to network its kitchen equipment to manage energy use and cut maintenance costs through networked powerlines.
Between the Lines
Larry Dignan and other IT industry experts, blogging at the intersection of business and technology, deliver daily news and analysis on vital enterprise trends.
Larry Dignan is Editor in Chief of ZDNet and SmartPlanet as well as Editorial Director of ZDNet's sister site TechRepublic.
Rachel King is a staff writer for ZDNet based in San Francisco.
Zack Whittaker writes for ZDNet, CNET, and CBS News. He is based in New York City.
In Michael Dell's talk to customers and the media in New York social issues--such as the OLPC project and green IT--were front and center. Of course, Vista uptake and Dell 2.
Dell CEO Michael Dell, speaking in New York City at its Vostro launch, sounded like a man almost ready to rid the world of trialware, which we call crapware. And there's a good reason for that: Crapware costs Dell money on customer support.
On today's podcast:The Life without Google experiment continues with ChaCha. Gallery.
At least one venture capitalist is seeing gold in the Facebook Platform. Bay Partners created a new funding program, AppFactory, for Facebook Platform developers.
Michael Capellas, former CEO of Compaq and MCI (formerly Worldcom), has landed at First Data Corp. First Data Corp.
Updated below: Dell has rolled out notebooks and desktops designed to reach small businesses. The brand name: Vostro.
Can human aided searches be a differentiator? A lot of search firms--including ChaCha--sure hope so.
There's no question that Oracle will continue its rapid-fire acquisition pace. The only question: Who's next?
Notable headlines:Larry Dignan: Who's on Oracle's shopping list? Ryan Naraine: Securing Firefox: How to avoid hacker attacks on Mozilla’s browser.


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Los Angeles Fashion Week, which begins Friday, will offer a little bit of everything, from designers who are focusing on the needs of working women to those who are more adventurous.
When Braxton and Turya Nations packed up their car in Nashville and headed West with $3,000 in March 2003, they never thought they would be selling a clothing line in boutiques such as Opening Ceremony, Curve and Louis Boston. But many ramen noodles and peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches later, the married couple is producing the Guy Baxter line in their Los Angeles garment district studio. They will present the third Guy Baxter collection at the Addison + Crescent showroom on March 12.
Turya, a Teaneck, N.J., native, and Braxton, from St. Louis, met in a music class at Nashville Technical College. While Braxton pursued a career in music production, Turya began designing clothes and styling for musicians. Turya, who is fond of watching old movies without the sound, was inspired by the look of Konstantin Stanislavsky's Moscow theater circa 1890. The collection is primarily black and charcoal gray, with one timeless print and a shot of electric blue.
"I thought, how would a modern-day person in that art scene adapt that look? I liked the oversize jacket and high-waisted pants with antique hardware," said Turya, who crafted the pants without side seams, just a pintuck in the front. The rest of the line is similarly detailed: A wool yoked gown has beaded velvet trim and ties, and a silk dress has a high-waisted sash inspired by a photo of a French madame. Several pieces, such as men's wear-inspired vests, wide-legged pants and ruffled blouses, carry through each collection, including the spring 2009 collection Turya already has started working on. Wholesale price points range from $82 for a sleeveless top to $295 for a long trenchcoat. "Compared to a 9-to-5 job, this is fun," she said.
— Marcy Medina
Eric Niccole, who was raised in Huntington Beach, Calif., and lives in Los Angeles' historic West Adams neighborhood, is steeped in Southern California style — and it doesn't always meet his standards. "It often gets stuck in ruts," he said. "I'd like to evolve it."
Niccole, 31, started the men's wear label Orthodox in 2005 and now he's launching a line for women that attempts to translate masculinity for the female customer. "There is a lot of girlishness in the market, and there was a void for balance between a feminine and more androgynous, boyish look," he said.
A jacket that fades from black to charcoal is a Niccole favorite. Other notable pieces include high-waisted trousers and a dress with a geometric Franz Kline-inspired print. "I definitely try to push the envelope, but in such a way that is not offensive to buyers and the end consumer," Niccole said. Wholesale price points for Orthodox's women's line, showing Sunday at Smashbox Studios, range from $42 to $250, and Henri Bendel and Rolo in San Francisco have picked it up. But Niccole, who dabbles in the music and restaurant businesses, as well, isn't stopping with clothing. "My dream would be to further brand Orthodox and allow it to affect culture through different mediums," he said. Of course, Niccole assures, fashion would be the cornerstone.
— Rachel Brown
Jesse Kamm's take on modern life? It's a jungle out there. Kamm will present her sixth collection, "Into the Bush," in a Gen Art installation on Friday.
"Technology is moving so fast, I feel as though we're all on the brink of adventure," she said. The designer was inspired by "Crocodile Dundee" actress Linda Kozlowski, who wore loose, high-waisted khakis, oversize jackets and scarves in the 1986 Australian outback caper, as well as Yves Saint Laurent safari icons Veruschka and Lauren Hutton. "I imagined these sophisticated ladies going to places of exploration."
The 15-piece collection includes odes to the safari dress and a flight suit as well as Kamm's signature tunics and halter dresses. As she does each season, Kamm creates artwork that she screen-prints onto cotton and linen. This time she was inspired by nature: bird tracks, tortoiseshells and tree rings. "My theory is that everyone leaves behind a mark, and this is my mark," she said.
Wholesale prices range from $110 for tops to $500 for long dresses. Kamm, 32, began designing when she quit modeling three years ago, took a sewing class and started making herself clothes. She attracted her first customers while wearing her designs in Ron Herman. Los Angeles fashion maven Liz Goldwyn then wore a piece into the Paris boutique Colette, which later placed an order. Kamm's stores now include Restir in Tokyo; Vakko in Turkey; Madison and Presse in Los Angeles; A'maree's in Newport Beach, Calif.; Blake in Chicago, and Finn in Toronto. Kamm, a one-woman show, produces 100-piece runs of her screen-printed pieces and more of the solids, explaining: "I'm taken by detailed, handcrafted work that is not mass produced."
Supermodel @helenachristensen teamed up with longtime friend and designer @camillastaerk on a joint @paredeyewear collaboration. The lineup features three styles and 11 offerings, all of which embody a vintage feel. Get all the details on how they celebrated the collab on WWD.com. #wwdaccessories #wwdeye (📷: @slovekinpics)
“It’s a hard industry to keep motivated, as well, so finding different subjects and people is what makes it worth it – when you’re like, oh, I’ve met great people, I feel like I’ve done something good, and I feel proud of having done this,” said French actress Stacy Martin on being grateful for the variety of roles she’s take on. Read @ktauer’s full interview with Martin on her her latest film “Godard Mon Amour.” #wwdeye (📷: @danieldorsa)
After showing in front of the Eiffel Tower for his last two women’s ready-to-wear collection, it looks like @anthonyvaccarello may be heading to the Big Apple. Sources say the designer will stage his next @ysl show in NYC on June 6. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews #wwdfashion (📷: @aitorrosasphoto)
EXCLUSIVE: Two and half months after John Targon, cofounder and codesigner of Baja East, was hired as creative director of the contemporary division at Marc Jacobs, he has left the company, WWD has learned. Marc Jacobs International, which is owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, confirmed Targon’s departure in a statement: “John Targon is a talented designer and we appreciate the work he has done here. Ultimately working together did not make sense for the brand and we wish him the best.” Read the story by @jessiredale, link in bio. #wwdnews
@theluxurycollection is officially launching a collection, tapping Sofia Sanchez de Betak for the capsule. Over 30 styles will be featured in the Chufy x The Luxury Collection, debuting next month at Bergdorf Goodman, The Webster, FiveStory and more. De Betak, known as “@chufy,” drew inspiration for the collection from her trips to Japan in the past year #wwdfashion
@lhd, founder and CEO of @thewebster, has teamed up with @lebonmarcherivegauche for the European launch of her ready-to-wear line, LHD. The launch will come with an exclusive pop-up opening today that’s set to run through May 20. Located on the second floor, it carries her debut Miami-themed resort collection, launched in November as see-now-buy-now. #wwdfashion


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Three decades ago the People’s Republic of China was an economic backwater. Today the PRC sports the world’s second-largest economy. Shanghai most dramatically illustrates the country’s transformation.
The city is filled with stylish office buildings, five-star hotels, luxury stores and foreign visitors.Reflecting their success, the Chinese are increasingly confident as well. If not yet a great power, the PRC seems destined to eventually share global leadership with the United States. And its people know that.
Which means future U.S.-China relations could be rocky.
Ties turned confrontational under the Obama administration, which announced a “pivot” or “rebalance” to Asia.


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Competition in the LED bulb market seems to be picking up, with more manufacturers announcing their solutions over the past few days. Add the Groove Bulb to the list, said to consume 85% less electricity than incandescent bulbs but with a lifespan of around 30 years. This particular offering seems to be attacking price too: a 9W bulb (equivalent to a traditional 60W bulb) costs £15.95 (~$25.67).
Groove Bulb say that’s 25% cheaper than existing LED bulbs on the market, with the founder of the company, James Theobald, noting that the cost of manufacturing is what keeps prices high. The 9W Groove Bulb will feature a bayonet or Edison screw cap, is mercury free, and is 99% recyclable. The LED tech used ensures a “consistent light output”, plus no flickering and superior whites.
The company will begin offering additional bulbs later on in the year, with plans to produce a 100W equivalent and a candle style bulb. If you wanrt to buy the 9W Groove Bulb in the meantime, you’ll have to head directly to the source at groovebulb.com.


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Since the heated press conference; Oprah, Diddy and even Magic Johnson (who previously debunked the rumor), have expressed their interest in purchasing the L.A. Clippers. In light of the grand affair, we present to you 11 potential buyers. Some of whom have openly expressed their interest, while the others simply have acquired enough capital to sit at the same dinner table.
Well looks like Diddy is putting up his bid! Check out what he tweeted and posted on Instagram:
May have to hit the westcoast for a game. You know his new TV network “Revolt TV” is already based in Los Angeles. Looks like he may be taking the westcoast over since Jay-Z is on the East Coast with the Brooklyn Nets! We shall see!
News hit the fan that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s wedding has changed. To top that, rumors are going crazy online that its because of his young new artist and protege Pia Mia! Right now, cause of the wedding date is unknown but we are sure hoping its not because of “The Other Woman”
Until your next fix…
-DJ Dimepiece “The Mixin’ Vixen”


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AARP Releases Travel Trends for Adults 50+
Adults age 50+ will be spending big bucks on travel this year, according to a recent study conducted by AARP. They are expected to spend over $120 billion on leisure travel, and they plan to take four or five trips.
Here are some of the key highlights of the AARP Predictions for 2016 Travel Trends for adults 50+s:
* 99 percent of survey respondents said they plan to travel this year.
* 55 percent of respondents said cost was not a factor when planning their vacations. Even so, most said they are still interested in getting great deals and want to get the most from their dollars.
* 95 percent of respondents will travel domestically. These trips primarily include summer vacations, multi-generational trips and weekend getaways. Popular destinations are Florida, Las Vegas, California, New York and Hawaii.
* 32 percent of respondents will embark on an international once-in-a-lifetime trip. England, the Caribbean and Mexico are the top destinations.
* 26 percent of respondents will take at least one multi-generational domestic trip.
* 43 percent of respondents said they must have free Wi-Fi in their hotels, and 86 percent said they must have free Wi-Fi in their vacation home rental.
* 40 percent of respondents said they will stay in a hotel or motel. However, Airbnb and VRBO are gaining in popularity, with 9 percent of respondents saying they will be staying at one of these properties.
Where will you be traveling this year? I’ll be in the Amazon rainforest, Phoenix and, hopefully, New York City–if I can score “Hamilton” tickets, that is.


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Shortly after launching their Re-Nylon capsule collection created from reissued nylon bags, Prada has teamed up with UNESCO for a sustainability campaign to raise awareness about the ocean.
The campaign is designed around the need to adopt a heedful attitude towards the ocean. With this aim in mind, UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission will collaborate with Prada to launch education programs for students in various cities across the globe, such as Berlin, New York, London, Milan, Paris. These programs will run starting this month until May this year.
Students will learn about the significance of the ocean, the detriments of marine pollution and the steps being taken by the fashion industry to cultivate sustainable consumption. Towards the end of the campaign students will be asked to pitch ideas for raising awareness for ocean conservation. The winning idea will then be chosen in May by an international jury consisting of Prada and UNESCO representatives.
“For the Prada Group, the promotion of culture and education is an integral part of the sustainability strategy,” Prada’s head of marketing, Lorenzo Bertelli, said in a statement. “The collaboration with UNESCO embraces this path and translates it into a direct channel of communication with students around the world. We are proud to see the creation of an ocean awareness project from what was initially a product innovation and sustainable materials initiative.”
Image credit: @Prada


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By Michael Marley
They didn’t promise to repeal Obamacare or jail their rivals, but the domestic steel industry’s biggest scrap consumers settled this month’s price election by the end of last week. Instead of the up $20-per-ton offers touted earlier in the week by a few rivals, the bigger mills bought late last week and raised scrap prices by as much as $40 per ton.
WSEM World Steel Exchange Marketing
Mike Marley’s Shredded Power #70
Ferrous scrap prices rise by as much as $40 per ton.
November 9, 2016
Mike Marley (484) 751-5600
Peter F. Marcus (201) 503-0902
They didn’t promise to repeal Obamacare or jail their rivals, but the domestic steel industry’s biggest scrap consumers settled this month’s price election by the end of last week. Instead of the up $20-per-ton offers touted earlier in the week by a few rivals, the bigger mills bought late last week and raised scrap prices by as much as $40 per ton. That was enough to overcome dealer resistance to the earlier offers and persuade some scrap suppliers to come up with more tons this month and in December.
Dealers as well as mill buyers and their brokers are talking about a 45 to 60 day buying period largely because worries about scrap supply now are trumping price considerations. Supply of heavy melt and shredded scrap usually decline in the winter because colder temperatures and snowstorms discourage scrap collection. Add to that the price cuts obtained by the mills in the past two months. Shredded scrap and heavy melt prices declined by $50 per ton in September and October.
Making the supply situation more troubling is the recent and unanticipated rise in offshore scrap demand and prices. This could siphon the few excess tons that might be available to U.S. steelmakers this month and next. Scrap export prices have risen sharply in the past month. The last bulk cargo sale by a U.S. East Coast exporter saw the price of 80/20 heavy melt climb to $260 per tonne delivered to a Turkish port. That’s up more than $20 per tonne from the deals made a little more than a week ago.
Cutbacks in coking coal output has spurred a worldwide scrap buying binge.
And this isn't simply a few Turkish rebar mills building inventory for the winter. A worldwide scrap buying binge has arisen because of the cutback in the supply of coking coal and the steep rise in its price. Integrated mills in Turkey, India and, yes, even China are facing steel production challenges because of the coke shortage. Simply put, they are buying more scrap from Western Europe and the U.S. and charging it into their BOFs to supplement the reduced output of iron from their blast furnaces.
As an indicator of how desperate some mills are, a British scrap exporter sold an allshredded cargo to a Turkish steelmaker last week, probably an integrated mill there. Turkey’s rebar mills buy much of the foreign scrap that is brought into the country. These are bulk cargoes composed mainly of 80/20 heavy melt which is bought at a discount of $5 per tonne from the shredded scrap price. Thus, a $260-per-tonne heavy melt sale might also include a few thousand tonnes of shredded scrap with a $265per-tonne price tag. Sales of all shredded cargoes are exceptions and often are bought only by integrated mills. They want denser and cleaner melt material, i.e. denser and cleaner than what they expect to get with the 80/20 heavy melt.
Also, it isn’t just the bulk cargo shippers who are feeling the demand pressure from Turkey’s integrated mills. Indian traders are paying as much as $245 per tonne for shredded loaded into containers and dropped off at the U.S. East Coast docks. These shipments are destined for both the EAF mills and integrated steel producers in southern Asia.
Competition has become more intense between the exporters as well, some industry sources said. In addition to matching offers from his rivals, one East Coast exporter is sending its own trucks to pick up containers at dealers’ yards. That, said one Eastern trader, not only reduces the cost for the dealers, but it also solves the problem of finding and hiring a trucker to transport that scrap. “That eliminates a big headache for many of these smaller dealers,” he explained.
One consequence of this is that steel mills in Ohio and in the Southeast have fewer pipelines to tap for additional scrap unless they are willing to pay sharply higher prices. In past years when their local shredded producers didn’t have enough material or demanded higher prices, these mills could turn to the East Coast shredders. That supply pipeline may be empty now. And they can't get as much from scrap exporters in Europe as they did earlier this year. Offshore sales and prices are spiking there as well.
Overseas demand may be putting more pressure on supplies of shredded scrap.
This offshore buying affects mainly the domestic market’s supply of shredded scrap and not the heavy melt. U.S. mills normally don’t buy much heavy melt from the exporters and the coastal scrap yards that are their (the exporters’) main suppliers. The 80/20 heavy melt does not meet their specs. Shredded scrap, whether it is produced at an export yard or a coastal shredder, is more uniform and most domestic mills will use it if the pricing is competitive.
It costs scrap yards on the U.S. East Coast about $10-12 per tonne to haul a container filled with shredded to the docks. The buying price at the major East Coast docks is now at $245 per tonne. That puts the cost of shredded at $230-$235 per tonne at dealers’ yards.
Rail or barge freight costs to Ohio or to the Southeast are about $30 or $40 per ton. Thus, a mill in Ohio or in South Carolina would have to pay between $255 to $265 per ton to buy shredded from the coast and keep it from going offshore. Delivered to the mill prices for shredded scrap averaged between $200 to $210 per ton in these regions last month. Will they pay $50 to $60 per ton more this month?
Added to that, is the recognition that year-end is approaching. Some mills are trying to buy enough to meet their scrap needs for the next 45 to 60 days, but dealers are saying “no deal”. They may be seeing blood in the water, said a Chicago-based broker. In other words, they suspect that some mills may not have enough scrap on the ground or in their supply pipeline.
Consequently, some dealers see an opportunity to recover from the price cuts of the past two months by holding some scrap off the market this month. They expect prices to rise in both December and January. Some mills won't buy much in December, because its year-end and the mills’ scrap buyers have been told to keep inventory in check. Other mills will have outages to do maintenance work or because their steel sales are weaker and therefore may not buy much scrap. By January, some dealers believe these mills will be starving and pay more to get the scrap they need.
But others question that long-held belief that January will bring a boom in scrap sales. A Midwest scrap trader said dealers forget that all four of the major EAF mills have their own scrap yards now and one has two DRI plants. Indeed, he noted that the buyers for two of the largest EAF-based mills were very active in buying scrap late last week, both from nearby suppliers and those in remote regions. Their critical question was how much tonnage was available this month and in December. They may have resolved those concerns. This week, he said, they were not as troubled about supplies.
Flat-rolled mills are moving their busheling prices in tandem with shredded.
Supplies of industrial scrap like busheling and bundles may be sufficient to meet the needs of the EAF-based flat-rolled mills. Yet, some dealers and traders in Chicago, northern Ohio and the South are posting matching price hikes of $40 per ton for these industrial scrap supplies. Busheling prices in Chicago have risen to $240 per ton, said a Midwest trader. That matches or surpasses what most mills in the region paid for shredded this month.
Price changes usually have little or no impact on the availability of industrial scrap because that supply is determined by the pace of manufacturing output. Heavy melt and shredded scrap, on the other hand, are price sensitive. Busheling and bundles have been stable and are likely to remain so, unless one or another flat-rolled mill desperately needs more and begins jacking up the price offered to a rival mill’s main suppliers.
Other factors could be playing a role to maintaining price stability of the industrial scrap supplies. First, the sheet mills raised the prices of both their hot-rolled and cold-rolled products by $30 per ton last month and three major sheet mills followed that up this week with another $30-per-ton price hike. If these increases stick, they will offset the higher prices the mills are paying for scrap this month. Domestic raw steel production rose to 1,602,000 net tons last week, the American Iron and Steel Institute said, while the industry’s utilization rate inched up to 67.5%. That is up 1.7% from the previous week when steel output totaled 1,575,000 tons and the operating rate was 66.4%.
Last and certainly not least, the flat-rolled mills have learned that letting the busheling and bundles prices drift below the shredded scrap prices has encouraged some of their own long products mills and rival producers of rebar and structural steel products to use more busheling in place of the seasonally short supplies of shredded scrap.
Shredded Scrap Thermometer: Finding more shredded scrap.
Because of the rise in offshore demand from many of the foreign integrated mills, there is growing concern that some U.S. mills won’t be able to obtain all the shredded scrap they need this month and in December. Integrated steelmakers often are not as troubled about a $10 or $20 per ton spike in scrap prices. Since scrap usually accounts for no more than 20% of their melt, such price increases average out to a $2 or $4 per ton upward bump in that portion of their raw material costs. The more important question is what steps domestic EAF mills can take to cope with a supply shortfall. These could include:
• Making “quiet deals” with a few independent shredders, i.e. paying say $10 over prevailing prices under the condition that that price does not become public. This practice: a) secures a “guaranteed” scrap flow for the mill; b) enables the processor to pay more for feedstock (car hulks and other shreddables); and c) increases the flow of feedstock into the scrap processors yard which it then sells to the mill.
• Other mills that own and operate shredders will raise their own feedstock prices above the levels offered by the independent shredders. These may be captive suppliers to only one or two mills. Their only goal is to produce enough shredded to satisfy the mill’s raw material needs, since they do not worry about making a profit on the shredded they produce. The mills make money on their steel products not scrap.
• If there are excess supplies of busheling in major industrial regions like Detroit or northern Ohio, some mill-owned scrap processors may ship a portion of those tons to nearby long products mills and use materials like imported pig iron or direct-reduced iron at the sheet mills.
• One step some dealers take, but rarely admit to, is to add lower quality industrial scrap like machine shop turnings to their shredded. Normally, said a veteran broker, this is done while the shredded scrap is being loaded into a railcar or a truck. Some buyers will complain if they see turnings at the bottom of the railcar, he said, but others may be satisfied they got enough material for the melt shop.
Shortages in shredded supplies are usually short-lived. There are two wild card reasons that account for the brevity of such tight supply situations. These include:
• Shredders operate on the economy of scale principle and are most efficient when producing as much tonnage as they can six or seven days a week. If they don’t have their own feeder yards, they cultivate close relationships with suppliers – auto wreckers, smaller scrap dealers and even the peddler driving an old half-ton pickup truck – to keep a steady flow of shreddable materials coming across the scale each day.
• The next decade could see a significant spike in shredded scrap output and consumption. Developing economies like China and India will consume more autos and other durable goods. These will be shredded and sold to the steel mills in those and neighboring countries.
The Nasdaq Futures Exchange (NFX) expects to start trading in the Midwest US shredded scrap index futures in the first half of 2017. The contract will trade in 20gross ton units with the prices settled on the 11th day of each month against the TSI Midwest US Shredded Scrap Index published by Platts. For additional information about shredded futures trading, contact John Conheeney at WSEM. His phone number is 201-503-0922 and his email is firstname.lastname@example.org.
Note: Each issue, Mike Marley gives his opinion on the one-month steel scrap price outlook. He explains the key reasons for his view and highlights the “wild cards” that might cause him to be wrong.
This report includes “forward-looking” statements that are based on current expectations about future events and are subject to uncertainties and factors relating to operations and the business environment, all of which are difficult to predict. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, they can be affected by inaccurate assumptions we might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties, including among other things, changes in prices, shifts in demand, variations in supply, international currency movements, technological developments, governmental actions and/or other factors. The information contained in this report is based upon or derived from sources that are believed to be reliable; however, no representation is made that such information is accurate or complete in all material respects, and reliance upon such information as the basis for taking any action is neither authorized nor warranted. WSD does not solicit, and avoids receiving, non-public material information from its clients and contacts in the course of its business. The information that we publish in our reports and communicate to our clients is not based on material non-public information.
The officers, directors, employees or stockholders of World Steel Dynamics Inc. do not directly or indirectly hold securities of, or that are related to, one or more of the companies that are referred to herein. World Steel Dynamics Inc. may act as a consultant to one or more of the companies mentioned in this report.


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Firm keeps phones out of landfills, cash in clients' pockets
Sean Maki considers his business, which refurbishes, buys and sells used business phones and phone equipment, a perfect fit for today's economy.
It's green and it helps businesses save 50 percent or more on a phone system, compared with buying a new one, said Maki, 39, who started Sean Maki Communications Inc. in 2006.
"Instead of all the phones going to landfills, we are able to reintroduce them back into service," said Maki, who works out of his house in The Acreage in western Palm Beach County.
Maki, who worked for a company that installed phones, saw an opportunity in the phone resale market. He started buying used phones and selling them on eBay. That gave him a way to start his business with zero startup capital, generate cash and gain an understanding of online buying behaviors.
In June, he launched his own website, www.seanmakicom.com and made his first sale from it. However, he continues to use eBay and also buys and sells phones from Florida phone installers.
"Now it's time to start selling with the big boys," Maki said. "It is a good time to be in the refurbished phone market. Nobody is buying new systems. They are maintaining what they have. Our bread and butter is 10- to 15-year-old phones."
First-year sales were $180,000 and sales have increased each year. He expects to hit the $500,000 mark this year and has two employees.
Maki buys systems from companies going out of business or downsizing. He tests the phones, cleans and polishes them and installs new cords and handsets. He ships them to businesses across the United States, with a small percentage going to other countries.
"Most of my refurbishing is cosmetic. I make them look nice," Maki said.
He works with installers such as Dennis Haymond of A Better Communications in Wellington and Israel Meskowitz of PHI Systems Inc. in Sunrise.
"One phone system I sell right now, brand new with six phones and voice mail, costs $2,700," Haymond said. "We can get the same system used, less than half price."
Meskowitz said he recently replaced four Nortel phones for the St. Andrews Country Club Property Owners Association in Boca Raton.
Julia Pruccoli, St. Andrews assistant property manager, said the office saved at least half the cost of phones by buying refurbished.
"They look new, and they are wonderful. I'm very happy with them," Pruccoli said. "Israel (Meskowitz) came through for me within a couple of hours."


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Microsoft is holding an event tonight at 9AM PST (10.30PM IST) where it will be discussing the next chapter of Windows. Unlike the previous Windows 10 event in September where the company made announcements in front of select journalists and didn t live stream the event to public, this time the company has announced that there will be a live cast available to anyone who wishes to watch the announcement. Also Read - Microsoft Build 2021 Developers Conference: What to expect, how to watch and moreAlso Read - Microsoft Windows 10X cancelled: Here's what happened
It s a high profile event hosted by company s CEO Satya Nadella, as well as leaders from Operating Systems Group, including Terry Myerson, Joe Belfiore, and Phil Spencer. The live webcast will be available on Microsoft’s new Windows 10 Story page. We will embed the video below when the event starts for your viewing pleasure. Also Read - Windows 10X reportedly cancelled in favour of better vanilla Windows 10
The company will be unveiling a range of new consumer-oriented features at the event and is also expected to showcase the Windows 10 for mobile SKU. In addition, the company could reveal the latest build of Technical Preview for Windows 10. You can read all about it here.


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|In yet another move to expand their digital footprint for their ever-growing and popular library of diverse horror films, indie genre distributor TERROR FILMSis heading to the premium AVOD platform CRACKLE!
Owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Inc., Crackle Plus owns and operates ad-supported VOD networks CRACKLE and Popcornflix. This makes Crackle Plus one of the largest AVOD streaming platforms in the U.S. Crackle Plus has over 80,000 hours of content available across all its networks. As well, Crackle Plus premieres at least one original and one exclusive program each month, setting it apart from other AVODs.
TERROR FILMS’ President Joe Dain has spoken of this recent partnership. Dain says of the increased exposure: “we’re very excited to be working with Crackle. It’s a great opportunity for these fantastic indie horror films to garner a massive level of exposure on this respected AVOD platform.”


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The latest milestone for Sports Direct staff hoping for another shares windfall will be reached this week when the company presents annual results.
Sports Direct looks set to report another robust set of annual results on Thursday.
The City expects the sports chain, which has around 400 UK stores and operations in 19 countries in Europe, to post underlying earnings up 13.6 per cent to £327.1 million for the year to April 14, on the back of good organic growth, acquisitions and rising online sales.
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If full year underlying earnings hit £300m in 2015, shop floor staff will be awarded 34 million shares in a payout worth an average £80,000 at today's prices.
Mothercare's newly installed boss Mark Newton-Jones will reveal his initial thoughts about the retailer's prospects in the face of takeover attention when he presents first quarter figures on Thursday.
The board of the firm, which has 220 UK shops under the Mothercare and Early Learning Centre brands, recently turned Mr Newton-Jones' interim chief executive appointment into a permanent role. But Mr Newton-Jones has said he will not complete his "root-and-branch" review of the business until the autumn.
This comes despite the Mothercare board twice rejecting takeover approaches valued at 300p a share from Philadelphia-based Destination Maternity, which has more than 1,900 retail sites.
Mothercare chairman and City veteran Alan Parker said the former Shop Direct boss had the "qualities, experience and the enthusiasm" to turn the business around and was satisfied with the timetable the chief executive has laid out.
Mothercare has been closing stores and developing its internet offer as part of efforts to turn its UK business around.In May it recorded UK losses of £21.5m after sales fell by 7.5 per cent.
The impact of SSE's self-imposed energy freeze will be disclosed in the utility's first-quarter trading update on Thursday. Britain's second-largest energy supplier with around nine million customers, froze prices in March until January 2016, after putting up gas and electric bills by 8.2 per cent in October. This freeze came a day before energy watchdog Ofgem called for an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority into the UK energy market.
The probe could take two years, and energy firms say this uncertainty will be a bar to investment in modernising the industry
Annual operating profits at SSE dropped in May by 32.2 per cent to £246m though the wider group saw adjusted pre-tax profits rise 9.6 per cent to £1.55 billion.


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Live Local: Burger Burger in Biloxi
For this week’s edition of Live Local, we learn the history behind Burger Burger, a restaurant on Howard Avenue in Biloxi.
It’s named after its trademarked sandwich that’s recipe hasn’t changed since it first opened doors in 1947.
Burger Burger in Biloxi, a diner named after their signature dish item. It’s a unique sandwich with a special sauce drizzled on top.
The original hamburger was crafted and sold by a famous jazz musician from New Orleans named Albert Brunies. Biloxi Library Historian Jane Shambra said, “He put together this little place that wasn’t big. It was little. They called it ‘Little Abbies’ and it was a very small place to get a hamburger. A lot of people think maybe Abbie is named after a girl and it’s a guy. It was his nickname.”
He and his wife Mildred opened the restaurant in 1947 and it quickly became a local favorite. The owner was a trumpet player from a well-known musical family and practical joker. “People tell me that he had these coins and he would glue them to the countertop and people would try to pick them up to mess with him and they couldn’t as they were cemented to the counter.”
The restaurant would eventually be bought by one very devoted customer. Owner Martha Ann Ebberman said, “I used to live in New Orleans and I would get my mother when we would come for the weekend, I would make her get me two of them. So, I’ve had a lot.”
Ebberman is a Biloxi native that bought the restaurant in 1987. “In ’93, we closed the original Burger Burger. I went to an Ocean Springs location and retired then saw this property had become available and this is back in Biloxi where it belongs and we’ve been here 20 years.”
They have no intentions of leaving. The restaurant survived the shutdown, the BP oil spill, and even Hurricane Katrina as it was one of the last remaining restaurants after the storm. “We were it. I think that’s really what boosted everything for us because there were people that had never had a burger before and they wanted it.”
The restaurant has been a part of Biloxi’s rich history and it will continue to do so as it dishes out the original Burger Burger.


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Volkswagen announced that two more plants in Germany will be designated to produce electric cars based on the new MEB platform.
Tag: volkswagen i.d. vizzion
Volkswagen targets production of 1,000,000 all-electric cars built on the MEB platform, by 2025. And 10 million just a little later on.
Fifty new all-electric cars by 2025, and every car sold in the VW Group will be either electric or offered in an electric form by 2030.
Volkswagen is keen to tell you how its MEB platform will bring affordable and practical electric vehicles to market in massive numbers.
Volkswagen, at the Geneva Motor Show, expanded its family of I.D. concepts by one more - the I.D. Vizzion.
The Volkswagen I.D. Vizzion concept is the brand's idea of what a high-tech sedan could be like in 2030.
The Vizzion packs a 111 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that powers an all-wheel-drive system with a pair of electric motors for a total output of 302...


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Concierge gives you timely BUY and SELL alerts on ASX-listed stocks
Property Stocks Down Under 9 March 2022: Home Consortium Daily Needs REIT (ASX:HDN)
Home Consortium Daily Needs REIT: Is one REIT better than two?
Home Consortium Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN) recently completed its merger with Aventus Group. The new merged entity has a $4bn portfolio focused on consumer staple retailers in metropolitan markets with high population growth and has identified a $500m+ development pipeline. Will the deal live up to expectations? The market appears to be sceptical given the discount HDN trades at relative to its peers. We however, having been sceptical of its valuation when it was trading at a premium to its NTA, now think it is worth its price.
Click here to read the previous edition of Emerging Stocks Down Under published 2 March 2022.


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Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes meets with Chinese officials to talk economic development
01/18/2017 03:41 PM
Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes met with Chinese Embassy officials in hopes of strengthening the relationship between the Commonwealth and the People’s Republic of China, and discuss economic development in Kentucky.
In a press release Grimes stated that “as Secretary of State she looks for every opportunity to help grow Kentucky’s economy and further develop connections for our state and its businesses.” Grimes went on to say that she hopes a continued relationship with China will help bring more investment to Kentucky.
According to the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development in 2015 $27.6 billion in goods and services were sold abroad. China is the fourth largest export destination for Kentucky companies with more than $1.9 billion of Kentucky exports in 2015.
In 2015, Grimes traveled to China to learn about economic development opportunities in the nation as part of a delegation coordinated and funded by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship and Foreign Countries. While there Grimes met with numerous Kentucky companies that have offices in China, including KFC/Yum! Brands, Brown Forman, Ashland Oil, and Britley Industrial Equipment.
Birtley Industrial Equipment Corporation is a manufacturer of advanced coal preparation products headquartered in Lexington. Britley was the first Chinese manufacturer to locate in Kentucky, investing approximately $10 million and creating as many as 50 new full-time jobs.
“There are also many opportunities for Kentucky businesses to do business abroad, further growing Kentucky’s economy,” Grimes said in a press release. “ I am committed to helping build relationships with other countries to provide the foundation for those investments.”
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As fans may remember, video streaming giant Youtube cracked down on the likes of Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and Rihanna for reporting millions of fake views to their high performing Youtube channels…
Well, now we know why.
For, today saw music industry Bible ‘Billboard’ announce that it will factor in Youtube views (with digital downloads and radio airplay) to determine song’s chart rankings…
“Billboard and Nielsen announced today the addition of U.S. YouTube video streaming data to its platforms, which includes an update to the methodology for the Billboard Hot 100, the preeminent singles chart.
The YouTube streaming data is now factored into the chart’s ranking, enhancing a formula that includes Nielsen’s digital download track sales and physical singles sales; as well as terrestrial radio airplay, on-demand audio streaming, and online radio streaming, also tracked by Nielsen.
Billboard is now incorporating all official videos on YouTube captured by Nielsen’s streaming measurement, including Vevo on YouTube, and user-generated clips that utilize authorized audio into the Hot 100 and the Hot 100 formula-based genre charts – Hot Country Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, R&B Songs, Rap Songs, Hot Latin Songs, Hot Rock Songs and Dance/Electronic Songs – to further reflect the divergent platforms for music consumption in today’s world.”
The announcement succeeds news that the chart ranking system also includes streams (via Spotify, Pandora, etc) in its count for chart rankings as well. After the revamped system made its debut today, guess who is now #1….?


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PACIFIC CITY, Ore. — A Father of All Tsunamis shakes the Oregon Coast this month as Pelican Brewing Company conceives the next batch of its award-winning Imperial Stout aged in rye whiskey barrels. The six-time medalist, which was just introduced to the Pelican lineup three years ago, took home two Silver medals in 2019 at the Australian International Beer Awards as well as the International Beer Cup, and in 2018 Father won Gold at the Australian International Beer Awards, and Silvers at both the Brussels Beer Challenge and Oregon Beer Awards. Father was also awarded a Silver medal in 2017 at the Australian International Beer Awards.
Father of All Tsunamis, which is a key player in Pelican’s popular barrel-aged series, originates from the Pelican’s legendary Tsunami Export Stout. One-upping this mighty beer is no easy task. To create a beer with even more stout character, Pelican reimagined the fabled Tsunami and created a new Imperial version. Full of rich roasty flavors reminiscent of dark chocolate and espresso, Father of All Tsunamis takes things one step further by aging in Rye whiskey barrels. With layers of spiciness, vanilla and caramel coming from these barrels, Father of All Tsunamis emerges with a richness and balance beyond imagination.
- ABV: 11.2%
- IBU: 55
- PLATO: 24º
Fellow fanatics quake with anticipation
The limited-production Father of All Tsunamis, which will be available this month in 22 oz. bottles and on draft at select locations, will be available for pick-up at all Pelican brewpubs—Cannon Beach, Tillamook, Pacific City—the weekend of February 7, 2020.
“The 2020 vintage of Father of All Tsunamis is exceptionally rich with cocoa-like dark chocolate flavors,” says Darron Welch, founding brewmaster of Pelican Brewing Company. “This year’s Father has a dryness on the finish to balance out the full-bodied richness of malt flavor and the subtle vanilla-like barrel character. A light spiciness hints at the robust rye whiskey that these barrels once held. With the dark, stormy weather we get this time of year, it is a fantastic winter warmer to enjoy by the fireside.”
Welch continues to be one of the most decorated brewers in the Pacific Northwest, earning well over 450 medals including several Gold Medals this year alone at the World Beer Cup, Australian International Beer Awards and North American Beer Awards.
With a nod to the popularity of Pelican’s original barrel-aged masterpiece Mother of All Storms, English-style Barleywine aged in Bourbon Barrels, the brewery continues its vision for creating recipes that combine beer, spirits and barrel flavors. Fellow fanatics of Pelican’s barrel-aged series have another year of tasty treats ahead with quarterly releases of exquisite beers like Captain of the Coast, Wee Heavy Ale aged in Dry Fly Wheat Whiskey Barrels, and of course the annual return of ‘Mother.’
Like all Pelican beers, these medal winners are born at the beach by a team of award-winning craft beer makers known for brewing styles of beer that they themselves love to drink. Cheers!
About Pelican Brewing Company
Pelican Brewing Company was born at the beach in 1996. Here, in front of a rundown old building at the water’s edge, stood three enthusiastic young folks whose thirst for great beer overshadowed their understanding of what it would take to build a brewery. They did it anyway. Thanks to the vision of founding owners Jeff Schons and Mary Jones, Oregon’s only beachfront brewpub became one of the state’s most popular destinations. And now 24 years later, Pelican Brewing Company is an iconic beach brand and one of the most decorated craft breweries in Oregon. Pelican has been honored with more than 450 awards including the prestigious 2015, 2016, 2017 Australian International Beer Awards Champion Medium International Brewery; 2014 World Beer Cup Champion Small Brewery; 2013 Great American Beer Festival Large Brewpub of the Year. Why? Pelican brews are playful, but not frivolous. Brewed with purpose, passion and a deep respect for the craft. Pelican operates brewing and brewpub facilities in Pacific City, Cannon Beach, and its state-of-the-craft brewery in Tillamook, Oregon where it brews 40,000 barrels of award-winning beer annually and distributes to six states. Pelican’s vision, its beer and values were born at the beach where the team wakes up each day in a place that reminds them that amazing is possible. Cheers, Fellow Fanatics! For more information, visit Pelican Brewing Company.
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Sears Holdings (SHLDQ) closed hundreds of stores during its 2018 fiscal year in a futile attempt to reduce its losses and stave off bankruptcy. The long-suffering retail icon finally filed for bankruptcy last October anyway. At the time, it had a little over 750 stores remaining.
Sears and sister chain Kmart were nearly liquidated entirely, but controlling shareholder Eddie Lampert eventually rescued a fragment of the company. The hope was that Sears and Kmart could survive by focusing just on their most profitable locations. However, Sears is already embarking on another round of mass store closures. This shows that its turnaround plan is not working, and it spells danger for weaker landlords like CBL & Associates (CBLQ).
Shrinking yet again
In the months after it filed for bankruptcy last year, Sears Holdings closed more than 300 stores in several waves. By the time Lampert bought the Sears and Kmart chains in a bankruptcy auction in early February, he did so with the intention of operating just 425 locations -- 223 Sears stores and 202 Kmarts.
Even then, Lampert's business plan acknowledged that the company would likely close another 36 Kmart stores over time. However, Lampert once again overestimated his ability to turn around the out-of-favor Sears and Kmart chains.
Over the past few months, Sears has continued to close a handful of full-line stores. In April, it closed a prominent location in Oak Brook, Illinois, a little more than six months after completing a major renovation that downsized the store. Last month, it closed a Sears store in Yonkers, New York, that was also traditionally a top-performing location. Full-line stores are also in the process of closing in Staten Island, New York; Wayne, New Jersey; and Dartmouth, Massachusetts.
The "new" Sears Holdings is now moving beyond the one-off store closures of the past few months. Citing "a number of challenges returning our stores to sustainable levels of productivity," the company plans to close another 26 stores this fall, according to a statement released earlier this week. While there are five Kmarts on the list, the other 21 locations set to close are full-line Sears stores.
Some landlords could benefit from store closures
All but one of the Sears stores slated for closure this fall are located in malls. The majority of those malls are lower-tier properties not owned by real estate investment trusts (REITs). (There are a handful of prominent exceptions, but most privately owned malls in the U.S. are low-quality assets.)
Of the eight REIT-owned malls impacted by the current round of Sears store closures, four are owned by Brookfield Property Partners (BPY), two are owned by Simon Property Group (SPG 2.34%), and the last two are owned by CBL & Associates.
Brookfield and Simon will probably be happy to see these stores go. Both companies specialize in owning high-traffic malls that typically have tons of interest from prospective tenants. Just as importantly, Brookfield Property and Simon Property Group have rock-solid balance sheets. That gives them the financial flexibility to invest in repurposing these Sears stores for tenants that will pay higher rents and drive more traffic to their malls.
Weaker landlords won't like this news
By contrast, CBL has a weak balance sheet and is struggling to support its $4.4 billion of debt, given its declining earnings power. Moreover, the company already has dozens of vacant anchor spaces that it's trying to fill, and limited capital available for redevelopment.
The good news is that Sears owns its stores at Valley View Mall in Roanoke, Virginia, and Mid Rivers Mall in St. Peters, Missouri -- the two CBL properties where it's closing -- so it isn't paying rent to CBL for these stores. However, interior mall tenants -- which generate the vast majority of rent for most malls -- often have "co-tenancy" clauses built into their leases, which automatically reduce their rent shortly after an anchor closes (until that anchor is replaced).
CBL probably can't afford to buy the Sears buildings and then spend even more money to redevelop them for new tenants. However, that means it may risk a long-term decrease in cash flow from these two malls, unless it gets lucky and another company redevelops the Sears stores for new retail tenants. Furthermore, the longer the Sears stores stay vacant, the more they could damage the image of these malls, driving shoppers away.
The loss of two more Sears stores probably won't be the difference between life and death for CBL & Associates. However, it adds to the pressure on this already-struggling mall REIT, giving investors just one more reason to stay away. Stronger rivals like Brookfield Property and Simon Property Group will be better able to navigate the changing retail landscape.


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According to Dermascope, the first professional publication of the skin care society in the United States, blue light, emitted at high intensity by the screens, could be more dangerous than both the UVA and UVB.
Recent research has indicated that high-energy light generates similar amounts of reactive oxygen species, such as the UVB and UVB rays, combined. Exposure to blue light can promote inflammation, slow healing, increase skin pigmentation, increase sensitivity, dryness and wrinkles. It also encourages uneven skin tone and textures as well as sagging skin.
The study concluded that the inflammatory cascade was significantly affected and, in turn, affecting the healing of the skin, the recovery of the barrier, cell cycles and melanogenesis. New research continues to develop in order to adequately understand the total impact of blue light on the skin. In any case, these results raise a new cause for concern and the need, once again, to prevent rather than cure.
Reticare absorbs the frequency of blue light between 380 and 500 nm and it clearly contributes to reduce the risks to our health. Reticare is configured as a scientifically proven solution in protecting the eyes and reducing the risks of irreversible damage to the retina in addition to the newly and important risks that are being discovered about the skin.


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Leading Italian auction house Cambi is to collaborate with designers to raise funds for a hospital hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The auction, curated by Milan-based creative agency Mr Lawrence, brings together a roster of Italian and international designers who will each contribute with the donation of one of their unique or limited edition pieces.
On the line-up are prominent international designers who have a connection with Milan, such as Fernando and Humberto Campana, Formafantasma, Roberto Sironi, Muller Van Severen and Analogia Project.
Milanese collage artist and art director Alvvino, based in Milan, is also contributing to Design Loves Milano with an illustration of the city's architecture.
Cambi will donate proceeds from the auction to the ASST. (Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale) Fatebenefratelli of Ospedale Luigi Sacco in Milan, to help with the purchase of equipment and services to sustain local research for a COVID-19 vaccine.
Matteo Cambi, president and CEO of Cambi Auction House, says: "We are working on this extraordinary project with great enthusiasm. Milan, the beating heart of design has its ‘children’ all over the world and it is incredible for us to see so many designers and design professionals come together with the common goal to help support the city."
The catalogue will be available on www.cambiaste.com on April 23rd and the online auction will take place on May 12th.


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New Delhi: With the launch of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) digital currency, people will now be able to make transactions using the currency. In the first phase, the digital currency will be available in four cities — Mumbai, New Delhi, Bhubaneswar, and Bengaluru. One can get the facility in the mentioned cities from four designated banks that include the State Bank of India, HDFC First Bank, Yes Bank, and ICICI Bank.
Now the question comes to everyone’s mind — will it replace the UPI and mobile wallets such as Google Pay, Paytm, and PhonePe? Before we give the answer, we must answer why the RBI launched digital money.
Why the RBI launched the digital rupee?
The digital rupee is going to facilitate the users to make transactions between person and merchant (P2M) and person to person (P2P). It is a new way of making payments via digital mode. Digital currency circulation will counter the rise of cryptocurrency and help to eliminate cash/paper money from the market gradually.
Can RBI’s digital rupee replace Paytm, Google Play, and UPI?
The RBI did not launch the digital currency to create competition against UPI and mobile e-wallets. It has been developed to promote digital transactions and reduce cash transfers. In this way, the digital rupee will not replace Paytm, Google Pay, and UPI.
The four banks will offer a wallet to their user to send money to others, ending a broker chain. The wallet offered by the company such as Paytm and Google Pay for seamless transactions will now be offered by the banks. After purchasing the wallet from the bank, one can make payments from one wallet to another.


text: An anonymous reader writes "As discussed on Slashdot earlier this year, the lack of a next-generation Wii may be hurting Nintendo. That doesn't seem to concern the company's US chief, Reggie Fils-Aime, who said this week that a Wii 2 might not appear until 2012. He wants to sell a few million more consoles before a successor is launched. So, no Wii 2 for 2010 or 2011 — meanwhile, the PS3 and Xbox consoles get motion control support and other content enhancements. What does that mean for the success of Nintendo's gaming console business? Has the innovator been out-innovated due to a sluggish product roadmap?"


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Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, recently released an essay arguing for Bitcoin’s potential to become the ideal currency for artificial intelligence (AI). He believes that, akin to humans, AI will also require a monetary mechanism to function at its best.
Bitcoin’s inherent traits of being always accessible, completely automated, and digital makes it uniquely suitable for the demands of AI. Hayes underlined that AIs must have continuous access to data and computational power – their version of ‘food’ – to stay operational.
Hayes expressed that a blockchain-based system can fulfill the AI’s need for 24/7 service in a way that the traditional, ‘balkanised,’ and analogue banking system can’t. Especially when transactions need to be made in very small increments, blockchain systems are advantageous, allowing AI to receive payments digitally.
While touching upon the need for a censorship-resistant payment system, Hayes argued for clear and straightforward rules from the get-go. Such measures would counter the high risks of deplatforming for an AI that lacks the capacity to comprehend the complex human laws and banking system regulations. Bitcoin, in Hayes’ view, aptly satisfies these conditions.
By using a blockchain-based payment system, [AI] … can also receive payments electronically in extremely small increments if needed.
Bitcoin‘s strength against censorship is due to the requirement for rule changes to be publicly proposed and approved by a majority of the network’s participants. Hence, no single entity holds the power to alter the network rules arbitrarily.
Hayes further pointed out the limitations of fiat currency and gold’s circulation through stablecoins on decentralized networks. The reserves backing these tokens are held with centralized entities, thereby posing the risk of freezing and censoring by the issuer. The example of Circle freezing USDC linked to Tornado Cash following Treasury Department sanctions against the privacy protocol last year underpins this point.
Focusing on the value maintenance aspect, Hayes argued for Bitcoin’s suitability as the top contender against AI’s ‘food’ – electricity. This can be attributed to Bitcoin’s defined supply of 21 million coins and the fact that its mining process utilizes electricity, thereby setting Bitcoin’s value over time.
Hayes dismissed the claim that Ethereum (ETH) could potentially be a better currency than Bitcoin, in light of its deflationary supply dynamics post the Merge. He stated that Ethereum’s additional applications disqualify it from being ‘pure money’ like Bitcoin and fiat currency. Emphasizing Bitcoin’s strength, he asserted, “Bitcoin’s value cannot be conflated with the actual utility of other stuff.”
Solana Labs Develops AI Tools to Aid Newcomers in Navigating the NFT Market
Despite a somewhat bleak outlook for the NFT sector in the news and data reports, Solana Labs insists there remains a keen interest from potential new participants. In response, the company is developing an AI-based tool designed to guide newcomers in their foray into the NFT market.
According to Tal Tchwella, Head of Product at Solana Labs, it can be quite daunting for a first-time buyer to make sense of the numerous data points within the NFT space. This is where Solana‘s AI tool comes in, helping users pinpoint and purchase non-fungible tokens that align with their specific requirements and preferences.
Tchwella acknowledges the hype surrounding certain NFT collections but also notes the authentic relationships that people form through these. He believes that AI can play a significant role in making this data readily available to those new to the web3 world, helping them find what truly resonates with them.
Tchwella also shared that Solana might soon introduce AI applications to help novice NFT buyers not only identify trending collections but also connect with communities that fit their profiles. This, he noted, is particularly important for those who are just entering this space and are keen on learning more and finding the right associations.
Even though the value of NFTs minted on the Solana blockchain often pales in comparison to high-priced digital assets on Ethereum, like Bored Ape Yacht Club and Azuki NFTs, Solana has shown promising growth in its ecosystem in recent months. Research data revealed that in May and June, Solana added a total of 10 million new digital wallet addresses, outpacing Ethereum’s addition of 4.8 million addresses during the same period.
Anatoly Yakovenko, Solana Labs’ co-founder and CEO, has previously emphasized the potential of AI in enhancing the usability and understanding of Solana, thereby contributing to the broader web3 and crypto development. This was brought to light when the company announced the release of a ChatGPT plugin.
Wall Street Memes – Next Big Crypto
- Early Access Presale Live Now
- Established Community of Stocks & Crypto Traders
- Featured on BeInCrypto, Bitcoinist, Yahoo Finance
- Rated Best Crypto to Buy Now In Meme Coin Sector
- Team Behind OpenSea NFT Collection – Wall St Bulls
- Tweets Replied to by Elon Musk


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Pfizer's (NYSE: PFE) earnings call is coming up on Tuesday, January 28, just after the market opens. Losses from generic competition, an ongoing organizational overhaul, and string of recent downgrades will make this one of the most listened to calls of the season. With this much attention, there is likely to be a great deal of noise immediately following the call, but here are a a few critical points to help you focus on the essentials.
Unloading generics Halfway through last year, Pfizer discussed the separation of its commercial operations into three distinct units. Two units for patent protected brands and one for generics. According to Reuters, Valeant Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: VRX) , Mylan Inc (NASDAQ: MYL) , andActavis (NYSE: ACT) , are all interested, but there's a small problem -- they probably can't afford it.
Pfizer's generics operations are contained within its Established Products and Emerging Markets reporting segment. It hauled in about $14.5 billion during the first nine months of 2013. The odds of any one of the above companies raising enough cash to make an outright purchase are slim. Also, the sale of smaller pieces to interested parties would probably incur enough taxes to erode the sales' profitability.
The company could avoid the tax charges if...
You can finish this article here, or check out the latest 50 posts at The Motley Fool from Cory Renauer.